Starting device



y 8, 1941- s. YSSKIN 2,248,652

STARTING DEVICE Filed June 29, 1940 Patented July 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STARTING DEVICE Samuel Ysskin, Newark, N. J.

Application June 29, 1940, Serial No. 343,070

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved starting device used for starting internal combustion engines and which is designed to be economically manufactured and which occupies but little space.

The invention is designed to be positive in its action and at the same time is provided with a cushioning device which prevents the clashing or shock when the starter engages a gear on the engine and when it begins to rotate the gear.

Another feature of the cushioning device is that in case the engine backfires or for any reason the engine resists turning over, the actuating mechanism with the cushioning device releases the starter from further positive operation and limits the maximum strain to which the starter can be subjected.

The invention consists also of certain details of construction which are more fully described hereinafter and also embodied in some of the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing the shaft in elevation and with the starter in the position where a pin of the sliding part is about to enter the helical part of the groove. The gear on the engine is shown in dotteed outline. Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but with the starter in operating position with its pinion in mesh with the gear of the engine. Figure 3 is an end view of the starter illustrated in Figures 1 and 2with the motor shaft in section. Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 in Figure 1 with the pin of the longitudinally movable part in elevation. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the shaft of the starter and clearly showing in off-set part of the annular part of the groove. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 with the shaft turned half-way over and illustrating the helical or spiral part of the groove that merges with the lateral and annular parts.

The starter is of the type usually operated by an electric motor and is mounted on the main shaft ll) of the motor. The device is removable from the shaft and the shaft ll mounted on the main shaft l0 and secured by the screw or pin l2. In this description the shaft l I and the main shaft l0 are collectively designated as the shaft and so designated in the claims.

The shaft H is provided with a groove that is of a special design and includes a lateral part l3 having the closed end l4. The lateral part is usually about a. quarter way around the circumference of the shaft and extends as a helical part I5 for a half turn and then the groove is annular as at l6, the annular part having an offset portion The helical part of the groove is deeper than the annular part which construction forms a shoulder l8 which has a function which will be described later on.

The shaft beyond the slot is provided with a resilient or compressible member, illustrated as a rubber ring is seated in a cup 20. The front of the ring is held by a metal washer 2!. The assembly is firmly held in place against the shoulder 22 of the shaft by the split ring 23 seated in a groove 24 in the end of the shaft.

Enclosing the parts hereinbefore described is a movable cup-like shell 25 which is provided with an end wall and an extension 21. The extension 27 is fitted over the main shaft II) to allow it to slide and to rotate freely and is provided with a pinion 28 which is adapted to be slid into and out of mesh with the gear 29 of the engine.

The sleeve or shell 25 is provided with a plate or spider 30 which rotates with the shell 25 by reason of the projections 3| which fit into notches 32 in the shell. The plate 30 is provided with a pin 33 which fits freely into the groove of the shaft. The pin is spring-pressed and the pressure may be by a spring or, as shown in the drawing, by a disc 34 of rubber which abuts on the inner wall of the shell 25.

The plate 30 is provided with afiange 35 which faces the washer 2| and engages the washer when the parts are operatively connected. 4

The groove in the shaft has a deepened part 36 at the end I I at which point the pin barely touches the floor of the groove. This insures a free initial starting of the electric motor before movement of other parts begin.

The operation of the starter is as follows:

The shaft l0 rotates in a clock-wise direction when viewed from the electric motor and as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. The starting is easy for the motor because the pin 33 is resting lightly on the floor of the groove and the slot or groove I3 is lateral. As the rotation continues the pin engages the helical part l5 of the groove and is carried forward as the friction is slight and the inertia of the sleeve 25 has held it against appreciable rotation. The pin in its movement moves the plate 30 and this carries the sleeve 25. This moves the pinion 28 in mesh with the gear 29. At the same time the flange 35 abuts on the washer 2i and is in position to compress the rubber block l9.

The pinion 28 is now in mesh and resistance to any further longitudinal movement causes the pin to bear more firmly against the wall ll of the off-set portion. The contact of the pin 33 and the wall I! is cushioned by the forward thrust of the flange II against the washer 2| and thus against the cushion III. This is continued until the wall H has travelled along the pin a to a point where the parts rotate in unison due to the resistance of the cushion 20 to normal starting strain. The point is reached before the pin 33 has cleared the top or extreme of the wall I! of the off-set part of the groove.

The device continues to rotate until the engine starts and then the gear 2! rotates the pinion 28, the speed of which is of course increased due to its small diameter. This causes the sleeve and plate with the pin to be forced back toward the starting position. The shoulder ill engages the pin and leads it back into the spiral groove l5 and into the lateral groove I! where it is stopped by the end ll of the groove. The pinion 28 is now clear of the gear 29 and the starter comes to rest.

In case the above starting operation has been performed up to the position where the pinion is in mesh with the gear and some factor causes the engine to resist starting or if the engine backfires the starter is insured against breaking strain.

This is due to the fact that such abnormal strain causes the wall I! of the off-set portion to ride past the pin 33 or, in other words, the pin passes over the rise of the off-set portion, The cushion or pad 20 is not compressed to its limit in starting and the abnormal resistance to starting allows the flange 35 to advance and the pin passes through the off-set portion and the annular part ii of the groove passes around repeatedly compressing the cushion 20 as the off-set portion repeatedly engages and passes over the wall II. In this way the excess strain is taken up by the cushion 20 and the starter is not subject to breaking and the electric motor is not subject to being burned out.

Various changes can be made in the shape and the proportion of parts without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A starting device comprising a shaft, the shaft having a groove with a lateral starting part, a helical propelling part and an annular,

operating part, the operating part having a sinuous form, a plate movable on the shaft, 9. pin in the plate and in the groove of the shaft, a sleeve movable on the shaft and rotatable with the plate, an engine engaging member on the sleeve and a resilient member mounted on the shaft and in the path of the plate whereby the plate exerts a compression strain on the resilient member-when the pin engages the wall of the sinuous part of the groove, and the resilient member under abnormal compression allows the pin to surmount said sinuous wall.

2. A starting device comprising a shaft having a groove, the groove including an annular part with a projecting wall, a lateral part, and a helical part connecting the lateral and annular parts, the annular part having an off-set portion, a movable member, an engine-engaging member on the movable member, a pin in the movable member and in the groove of the shaft, and a compressible member on the shaft and disposed at a point where it is compressed by the movable member when the pin engages the oif-set wall of the groove, and allows the pin to pass through the off-set portion under abnormal strain.

3. A starting device comprising a shaft having a groove, the groove including an annular part with a projecting wall, a lateral part, and a helical part connecting the lateral and annular parts, the annular part having an off-set portion, the helical part being deeper than the annular part to form a helical shoulder, a movable member, an engine engaging member on the movable member, a pin in the movable member and in the groove of the shaft, and a compressible member on the shaft and disposed at a point where it is compressed by the movable member when the pin engages the off-set wall of the groove, and allows the pin to pass through the off-set portion under abnormal strain.

4. A starting device comprising a shaft having a groove, the groove including an annular part with a projecting wall, a lateral part, and a hellcal part connecting the lateral and annular parts, the annular part having an off-set portion, the helical part being deeper than the annular part to form a helical shoulder, the lateral part of the groove being deeper at its end to insure free starting of the shaft, a movable member, an engine engaging member on the movable member, a pin in the movable member and in the groove of the shaft, and a compressible member on the shaft and disposed at a point wher'e it is compressed by the movable member when the pin engages the off-set wall of the groove, and allows the pin to pass through the oif-set portion under abnormal strain.

5. A starting device comprising a shaft having a groove that is helical except for one end which is lateral of the shaft, the groove having an offset portion, a compressible member on the shaft, means on the shaft for limiting the longitudinal movement of the compressible member, a movable engine-engaging member including a pin in the groove and a part to engage the compressible member when the pin comes in contact with the off-set part of the groove whereby the compressible member is compressed when the pin and off-set portion are initially engaged to rotate the parts in unison, is further compressed when the engine engaging member engages the engine and is further compressed when excess strain is encountered and the pin is allowed to surmount the oif-set portion of the groove.

6. A starting device comprising a shaft provided with a helical groove terminating in an annular groove with an off-set portion, a compressible member on the shaft, means on the shaft for limiting the longitudinal movement of the compressible member beyond the groove, a movable plate on the shaft and having a flange to compress the compressible member, a springpressed pin in the plate and in the groove of the shaft, a cup-like sleeve around the above elements and secured to plate to insure their movement together, and an engine-engaging member on the sleeve, the parts being proportioned to compress the compressible member by the plate when the wall of the off-set portion of the groove engages the pin whereby the engagement with and starting of the engine are cushioned and whereby under excess strain the compression of the member allows the wall of the oif-set portion to pass the pin.

7. A starting device comprising a shaft provided with a helical groove terminating in an compress the compressible member by the plate when the wall of the oil-set portion of the groove engages the pin whereby the engagement with and starting of the engine are cushioned and whereby under excess strain the compression 0! the member allows the wall of the ofi-set port'ion to pass the pin, the helical groove being deeper than the off-set portion to provide a shoulder for guiding the pin into the helical part 10 on reverse movement of the plate.

SAMUEL YSSKLN. 

